On the Verge: Robert DeLong does it his 'Way'

On the Verge, USA TODAY's spotlight on breakthrough artists, this week looks at singer Robert DeLong:

One-man band: Give him a mic, some drums, and a potpourri of video-game controllers, and Robert DeLong has all he needs for an explosive dance party. Incorporating Wii remotes and joysticks into his live sets, "it's kind of like a wild, one-man show," says the drummer-turned-singer, whose woozy Long Way Down is on the way up USA TODAY's alternative airplay charts, now at No. 13. "I came out of the performance world and wanted to have some sort of visually compelling thing to go along with the songs, as opposed to DJing or just pressing play."

Dancing to a different tune: Raised just outside Seattle, DeLong says he was a "pretty nerdy kid" who loved sci-fi, space and Star Wars (episodes of Star Trek didn't come until later). Taking up the drums at age 10, he played in various rock/folk bands throughout his teens, while also honing his skills as an electronic artist — taking a cue from Boards of Canada and Brian Eno with ambient, trip-hop tracks, produced on his laptop. But it wasn't until his now-girlfriend brought him to a rave when he was 23 that he caught the dance-music bug, DeLong, 28, says. "Just seeing that communal experience, hearing it loud, and understanding, 'Oh, this is music that serves a function,' I just went home and started (making) dance music that week.' "

Changing it up: Signed to Glassnote Records in July 2012, DeLong released his debut album Just Movement in 2013, which was more or less a compilation of songs he had written up until that point. But with last fall's Long Way Down EP, DeLong sonically bridges Just Movement and his more fluid sophomore album, expected out this spring. On the new effort, "I think the songs are a bit more focused and it's a bit more traditional pop songs," but not without its share of left-of-center moments, ranging from guitar-driven drum and bass to R&B slow jams, DeLong says. "It's going to be eclectic and kind of a departure, but it still sounds like me."

Paint the town: Playing live, DeLong often dons orange 'X'-marked shirts and face paint — a tradition that started with his girlfriend and her friends, who painted their faces for his concerts. Pretty soon it caught on with fans, who can now get their faces decorated by his girlfriend and local artists at his shows. "It's kind of a cool way to connect the audience together and make things memorable. It's great for Instagram posts, too," DeLong says. "I think a lot of times, it's a way for people to let loose a little bit. It's like they get their face painted and suddenly they're a different person and allowed to have fun."

Touring essentials: Already tapped to play CounterPoint, Hangout and Big Guava fests this spring, DeLong is gearing up for a jam-packed year of festivals and touring in support of his new album. But there are a few things he won't leave home without: "Me and my crew, we play a lot of board games," DeLong says. "Right now, we're obsessed with Dominion. It's like Dungeons and Dragons meets Settlers of Catan, but a little less on the nerdy side."

Bet you didn't know: "I have Mario Kart bed sheets, which is like something that a 5-year-old would have," DeLong says. That's not to say he spent his whole childhood racing with Yoshi and Luigi, though. "My parents never let me have a Nintendo or any sort of console, and I'm actually happy about that. It forced me to use the computer and really get into production."

Video premiere: Robert DeLong, Long Way Down — Live at Rough Trade NYC in Brooklyn (Warning: Contains some NSFW language)